Kelly Ellard, now known as Kerry Sim, allowed to continue her day parole - Action News
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British Columbia

Kelly Ellard, now known as Kerry Sim, allowed to continue her day parole

The 38-year-old woman convicted of murdering teenager Reena Virk near Victoria in 1997 will be allowed to continue her day parole.

That 'the birth of your children has given you a purpose in life is tragically ironic,' parole board says

Convicted killer Kelly Ellard, seen here in 2000
Convicted killer Kelly Ellard, seen here in 2000, refused for years while in custody to accept responsibility and show remorse for the murder of 14-year-old Reena Virk. (Adrian Wyld/The Canadian Press)

The 38-year-old woman convicted of murdering Victoria teenReena Virkin 1997 will beallowed to continue her day parole.

The Parole Board of Canada has released its ruling on Kelly Ellard, who now goes by the name of Kerry Sim.

Despite committing the crime at 15, she was tried as an adult for murdering Virk because of the violence of the act.

The board says that Sim, a mother of two young children, remains "positive and compliant" in the community and continues to have high reintegration potential.

Reena Virk was beaten and drowned in 1997 in Victoria. ((CBC))

Her day parole changed last summer allowing her to live outside a residential facility for up to five days each week and the parole board has now opted tocontinuethat order for another six months, according to a decision released on Thursday.

Sim's case management team reports that shehas shownremorse for Virk's murder andtakes responsibility for the attack.

Sim was 15 in 1997 when she beatVirk, as part of a group.

Sim and another teen then followedthe injured Virk. Sim beat her again and drowned her in the Gorge, a well-known Victoria inlet.

Sim was tried inthree second-degree murder trials.

In 2009, theSupreme Court of Canada upheld her life sentence for the murder.

The parole board requires Sim to abide by five conditions, linked to her release.

She's ordered not to use alcohol or drugs and have no contact with Virks' family.

The report says Sim has shown progress and a desire to change her life.

"The fact that the birth of your children has given you a purpose in life is tragically ironic as you ended the life of another mother's child, but your children and the support of your common-law spouse and other family members are strong protective factors," the decision, released Thursdaysays.

The board rulingsays that Sim's day parole will help her reintegrate into society as a law-abiding citizen.